Thursday, January 11, 2018 3:10 pm

SACS board approves 5M bond for projects

ASHLEY SLOBODA | The Journal Gazette

Southwest Allen County Schools is chipping away at nearly $40 million in facility and equipment needs.

The school board on Wednesday approved $5 million in general obligation bonds that will help address about $24 million in HVAC equipment needs and nearly $14 million in other facility and equipment needs.

Of the $5 million, about $2.8 million will fund HVAC – heating, ventilation, air conditioning – projects at Summit Middle School and two elementary schools, Whispering Meadows and Aboite.

About $2 million will address roof repair and replacement and other infrastructure needs both district-wide and at specific locations, including the administration building, both middle schools and five elementary schools.

SACS anticipates the majority of work to happen this summer.

Like other improvements the district is undertaking, these are not expected to increase taxes, officials said.

Last month, the board initiated the process to expand Lafayette Meadows Elementary School, a $10 million project that will increase capacity from 575 students to 875.

Other plans for the Ernst Road school include a cafeteria expansion and improvements to the carpool/pickup configuration. The estimated completion date of the Lafayette Meadows expansion is July 2019.

The 7,300-student district decided to complete such projects without a referendum following a series of community meetings.